Your family is a gift from God, but I don’t have to tell you that. I’m sure you’re aware of the wonderful blessing that your family is to you, and I’m sure you talk about your family often. When something is important to you, it will naturally come up in conversation. As a pastor, you might find yourself talking about your family as you preach but be cautious when you do.

While this might not seem like a big deal, talking about your family from the pulpit is something to be careful with. Now, I’m not saying you shouldn’t talk about them from the stage. After all, I think there’s a level of relatability that comes with mentioning your family from time to time; however, I am saying you need to be careful and mindful of how you talk about your family in front of your congregation.

So with this in mind, here are three tips to consider for honoring your family while preaching.

1. Always speak in an honoring way about your family.

Simply put, you want to be kind and uplifting with the way you talk about your family from the stage. Sure, you might make some humorous remarks as you tell a story or use an analogy that includes your family, but overall, you should aim to honor your family with the way you speak about them. 

2. Ask for permission before you tell a story about your family from the stage.

If you’re looking to share a specific story or account that involves a member or members of your family, be sure to ask for permission and make sure everyone is comfortable with your sharing. Usually, it’s not a big deal, but it goes a long way that you ask for permission because it shows you understand the weight of sharing something publicly that happened to your family member or members. 

3. Respect your family’s privacy.

As you share stories or information about your family from the stage, keep in mind you don’t have to share everything. You can make a point or tell a story without sharing every single detail. Not everyone needs to know every little piece of information about your family. You can keep things general and still get your point across. Your congregation can understand your point and your family will be grateful that you respected their privacy.